Saving The Last Dance For Her
by sulpicia29
Summary: With every ending there is always the hope of a new beginning...somewhere in there. Liley.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, so this is my new story which I will hopefully be updating more regularly than the others which have slipped by the wayside. Apologies, further chapters are still in the making, but it's hard to keep up motivation when fresh thoughts are squiggling round my brain.**

**This is inspired by Chris Brown's _Forever_ and from personal experience of the ending of good times and wanting to hold onto something special.**

**As usual, I do not own Hannah Montana or any of the rights to the single which I love.  
**

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**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 1**

Posters lined the school hallways, the static faces of class presidents passed and present grinned winningly out at the students who bustled through the corridors heading for lessons. A great banner, which took no less than ten attempts to mount, hung across the middle of the walkway, just before the main stairs so that no one could miss it. Bold letters were printed, spelling out the very event that had the whole of the senior year on edge; _The Last Dance_. Throughout the week in which the great canvas had held its station in the liveliest sector of student life, anticipation and excitement had grown and buzzed through the senior population like wildfire. Girls giggled and practically clung to each other in infectious groups, contaminating one another with their thoughts and emotions with promises and vows linked to their ropey friendships that had built throughout high school. The male population behaved in a different manner. Suddenly macho and domineering, the boys would strike a pose when their preferred female candidates strutted by, crowing and heckling them into the possibility of pairing for the prom. The corridor was rich with laughter and banter, yet rippled with an undercurrent of despair for those who had not been so fortunate with their presumed conquests. Mating dances and courting was rife between the opposite sexes; the female of the species tossed their hair, made coy expressions and fluttered long eyelashes whilst the boys thrust their chests forward and strode confidently through the masses. It was understandable that certain individuals stood on edge and fussed and fretted as their peers preened and posed.

One girl, with dark blonde hair was feeling the worst for all the excitement that the dance was imposing. She found the atmosphere suffocating and the male attention degrading. They had often passed over her in favour of the more feminine girls, but now she was being eyed by the jocks as well as those with squeaky voices. She had certainly become more "girly" over the last couple of years of high school, although she could not pretend that she felt comfortable underneath their gazes.

"Lilly! Lilly, over here."

Lilly blinked and glanced over in the direction of the voice. A brunette was forcing her way through a threesome of girls who had all stopped to vie over a pair of tall boys, holding basketballs and squaring up their shoulders, victorious in gaining the attention of the three young women.

"Jees, when do ya reckon we're gonna be able to get to our lockers without all this hoo-ha again?" The girl muttered breathlessly beside her, whilst gesturing wildly over her shoulder. Lilly shrugged and turned her back to the group in front of her, it wasn't the kind of display that she wished to witness. "I mean really – is this necessary? Sure, people want to ask people to the dance, but does it have to be done in between classes? What do you reckon the canteen's for…Are you okay Lilly?" The brunette's tone was gentler now, once she had noticed her friend was not replying. Her voice deep and soothing, causing Lilly to smile into her locker. A hand on the top of her arm and another sincere, "Lilly", was enough to draw the blonde away from her introspective solitude.

"Sorry Miles, I guess I'm in my own little world today." Lilly apologised and cast her gaze towards the dispersing crowds.

"Did something happen with you?" Miley asked her best friend, suspecting the worst since the peppy demeanour which normally pulsed through the other girl, leaving her unavoidably vibrant, was depleted and missing.

Lilly sighed and rolled her eyes, "I don't know if this is something I want to be talking over right now." She turned aside to fiddle with the combination on her locker.

Miley's bright eyes focused into Lilly's at once, "We have a bit of time. Do you just want to give me the gist of it and we'll go from there?"

Lilly sighed once more and chewed her lip fretfully, "Matt asked me to prom."

Miley looked confused, "Matt…?"

"As in the Matt I used to date all those years ago." Lilly prompted.

"_Him_?" Miley caught up and her brow immediately furrowed into a scowl. "Please don't tell me you said yes."

Now it was Lilly's turn to frown, "God no, do you think if I had said yes I would be feeling like this?"

"What do you mean?" Miley asked, "Don't you want to go to prom with him?"

"No! Of course I don't Miles." Lilly snapped back, "and neither do you, judging from your reaction.

"It doesn't matter what I think." Miley said with a defiant shrug as she analysed her friend closely.

"Yes it does." Lilly muttered. Miley looked baffled and raised an eyebrow. "You're my best friend Miles," Lilly continued, in a gentler tone, "your opinion is important to me."

Miley's features warmed, "So how come you've got all worked up about this? You guys are history, _ancient_ history."

"I don't know. He's just not the one I want to go to our last high school dance with." Lilly shrugged, resuming a more casual exterior as she returned to rummage through her locker in search of books for their next lesson.

"Oh. Well, ya know, anyone could have told you that." Miley chortled and nudged Lilly playfully. "So, is there someone you particularly want to go with?"

Lilly paused and her head emerged once more, this time she was clutching a textbook, she looked thoughtful, "You know what Miles, I can't think of any guy that I want to go to the dance with."

Miley nodded, "I know what you mean." She sympathised, "I don't know what to do really. I keep getting asked by bozos."

Lilly giggled, "Well at least you've had more offers than me. I've had my ex, and that guy whose voice still hasn't broken."

"What's a girl to do?" Miley asked, half to herself as she resumed her scanning of the corridors, which were gradually becoming emptier as people scuttled off.

The blonde watched her friend closely, crinkling her nose, apparently deep in thought, "Why don't we just go together? We've done it before." Lilly stated matter-of-factly. "That is, if we don't get decent dates." She blurted, hastening to smooth over her suggestion..

Miley's expression became suddenly unreadable and her eyes misted over while her gaze traced a lopsided poster on the opposite wall. If Lilly didn't know her best friend any better, she would have said Miley hadn't been listening, but she knew that Miley's head was buzzing at the suggestion. It was a big ask to make of her best friend, to turn up to the final prom, where boys and girls were meant to pair off, with her same-sex equivalent. Yet it would be worth it if they could spend the night together, Lilly inwardly reasoned.

"Okay." Miley agreed and Lilly turned to her with an incredulous look, "If I don't find a guy who seems date-worthy, and if Prince Charming doesn't ride up and carry you away into the sunset, then we should go together. I think it's a good idea." Miley nodded and returned a light smile in the direction of her best friend.

Lilly laughed openly, "It's kinda crazy though. I mean, what will people think?"

Miley made a dismissive noise, "Let them think what they want Lilly. Heck, let 'em call us lesbians or lovers for all I care. I think it would be awesome to get to spend the night with my best friend, rather than in the arms of some guy I barely know, who could be a total disaster."

Lilly grinned, "And this is why you're my best friend."

"Because I love you unconditionally." Miley stated seriously. Lilly's jaw clenched and her cheeks darkened, an expression she failed to let go unnoticed. After a moment's silence Miley laughed brightly and grabbed her friend's hand, "C'mon Lilster, let's get you to class…" before dragging her down the corridor behind her.

_**It's you, and me. Moving at the speed of light into eternity…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 2**

"Leave me alone Jackson!" Miley barked at her bedroom door, her tone was hard, yet her voice whined with a pained undertow that her brother was keen to address.

"Miley, what's up? Just let me come in and we can talk about it. You know bottling things up isn't good for you."

"I said leave me alone." Miley repeated clearly.

"You know dad would want me to ask you what's up. He would be here if I wasn't." Jackson stated, "Now come on, open up and let me fulfil my brotherly duties."

Miley scoffed, "The only brotherly duties you know are messing up your bathroom, living in the nuclear waste site, which you call your bedroom, and not leaving me alone!" Miley's voice had risen to a shout in the final part of her declaration.

"Alright, alright," Jackson squealed back, "just let me do the family duty. The one that dad would have done if he wasn't off promoting country music in Chicago. Open the door so we can save all this backwards and forwards and stepping around how you're feeling thing so that we can get right to the point. You know you'll come round to telling me eventually, and it's best we get to it straight away, no time wasted is time gained I say."

Miley rolled her eyes and did not reply. The door handle edged its way slowly downward and the brunette gave up on bothering with a reaction when her elder brother stepped through the door. "Everything okay?" he asked sheepishly.

"What do you think?" Miley retorted glumly, although her tone was not unkind.

"What happened at school today Miles?"

_**It's a long way down, we're so high off the ground…**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 3**

Oliver Oken was watching one of his two best female friends very closely as the last week before prom began. Her motions through the corridor were fluid, yet hasty and she didn't stop long to talk to anyone. Blue eyes darted about, always keeping watch, like a twitchy bird on a lawn, with the same grace, and she jumped every time someone tried to talk to her. However, he was certain that he was the only person who had noticed, for she was subtle in her ways and he knew her well.

"Lilly, what is going on with you?" The soft-eyed boy asked the following day when they were sitting at a table near Rico's food stand. Lilly's posture was rigid in her chair as she tensely sipped her drink. She had not been listening to his attempted discussion on whether he should rent a tux or go all in, halving the costs with his parents, something he was sure a girl would be interested in talking about. "Lilly!" Oliver waved his hand in front of the blonde's face. "What is up with you today?"

"Nothing, what's up with you?" Lilly replied shortly, her face settling into a pouty sulk, which Oliver had anticipated.

"Okay Truscott, open up."

"Huh?"

"Tell Uncle Ollie what's going on inside that head of yours."

"What are you talking about? There's nothing 'up'. I'm fine, just a bit tired."

"Why are you tired? Are you stressed about something?"

Lilly turned to glare at her best friend, but was only met by a pair of doe-eyes, wide and waiting for her to divulge. "It's the dance." Lilly sighed, after a moment's pause. "It's totally stressing me out; no one's asked me except a bunch of freaks."

"Mmhmm." Oliver's response was less than sympathetic, "And don't you think that you would have got more offers if you had stayed still in the corridor for a minute? I saw plenty of guys all this week, and have heard even more talking, who want to ask you out. So I know that's not the problem." Oliver watched Lilly shift in her seat and pretend to take interest in a man collecting trash with a long grabbing stick nearby. Oliver lowered his voice and leaned closer to her, "This has something to do with Miley, doesn't it?"

Lilly's eyes blazed and she swung around in her seat to face him, "Why do you always think that Oliver? Why do you always jump to the same conclusion? Why do you always _assume_ that whenever I'm in a bad mood, or I'm stressed out, that it's something to do with Miley Stewart?"

"Or whenever you're in a good mood it's because you've spent time with her. Like two weeks ago when you had a girly day shopping in the mall. Afterwards you were practically glowing and there was something in your eyes that's never there unless she is. Lilly, I know how you feel about her."

"_Felt_ about her Oliver." Lilly emphasized the word, waving her hand in a blasé manner as she sipped her drink, "I don't have those feelings anymore. It was just a weird little crush, and I got over it ages ago."

"When?" Oliver asked and crossed his arms, turning his whole body toward her.

Lilly coughed as she drew away from the slurp of cola that she had just taken, "Like last year or something. It doesn't matter when, I just did, okay? And now I'm fine." She forced a smile that did not meet her eyes, and Oliver did not look away.

"You still love her."

"Of course I love her! She's my friend, my _best friend_. And I love you too, especially when you're not being weird and interrogating me."

"You know what I mean Lilly." Oliver said quietly.

The corners of Lilly's mouth twitched as if she was going to smile, but she didn't. She opened her mouth as if to issue some snappy retort, yet she decided against it and looked away. Her heart fluttered and her throat closed up. Her mouth was dry and her skin itched.

"You've got to stop lying to yourself." Oliver whispered.

Lilly's eyes flickered as she turned back to her friend, "If you must know…" Lilly shook her head before stating directly, "I asked her to prom with me Ollie." She murmured.

Oliver blinked, "Oh. But…what? Why?"

Lilly shrugged and gave him a helpless smile, "I don't know why. I said it before I even thought about what I was going to say. I've been thinking about it for months, how cool it would be for us to go together. It would be the last dance, the one where we say goodbye to high school. And I would get to do it with her. We would spend the night together, nothing would have to happen. I would just know that she was promised to me for the evening, and not some guy. Some guy who barely even knows her. Like I do." Lilly's voice had gradually lowered whilst she was talking, and Oliver noticed that she had shrunk into her chair. She seemed vulnerable and lost, yet the only thing that kept Oliver away from fretting too much was the look in her eyes. They were vividly alive, and he recognised the expression. It was the same wild tenderness that she reserved only for Miley, her best friend who had no idea of love that Lilly possessed for her.

"Well, I think it was a good idea." Oliver conceded and his smile was empathetic.

Lilly glanced up, with hope in her eyes and her expression brightened, "Do you actually? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

Oliver laughed, "Of course I'm not just saying it. It's what I think. But I don't want you to get sad or anything if Miley ends up going with a guy, it is the prom after all."

"Tell me about it." Lilly replied and her expression darkened again. She looked agitated, and Oliver couldn't help but delve a little further.

"Is there anything else bothering you?" he asked after taking a sip from his coke. Lilly shook her head. "Look, you might as well tell me now, otherwise you'll just get more upset, and maybe I can help."

Oliver looked at Lilly hopefully, but she merely shook her head and put on a cheerful grin. "It's nothing Oliver."

_**I won't let you fall, let you fall, let you fall…**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here's the next chapter of a story I've got kind of lost with recently... it's very short. Hmm.**

**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 4**

"_I can't wait till prom!" Amber stated from her position in front of the mirror in the girls' room._

"_I know, right?" Ashley agreed, whilst nodding fervently beside her best friend, and mentor, at the adjacent mirror, "I've got five dresses to choose from, but I might have to go out and buy another."_

"_Please girl," Amber put her hand up dramatically, "I've already got mine custom made by a designer who once dressed Tyra Banks herself."_

"_Shut up!" Ashley whispered, "That is too good."_

"_I know." Amber sighed whilst she resumed applying her mascara, "Sometimes it's so easy to be me. I can understand why all those other girls are jealous."_

_Ashley giggled, "Well of course they're going to be jealous. I mean, you are going with the captain of the football team as well. And he is _fine_."_

"_We do make a hot couple, it can't be denied." Amber said smugly. _

"_You are going to look fierce on the dance-floor." Ashley agreed._

"_Yes well, I have had dance classes since the age of five; no other couple will be able to compete." _

"_True." Ashley smirked, "I can't wait to get out there with Nick. He's got such dreamy eyes…" She simpered, trailing off as if she were lost in thought. It was suddenly quiet between the girls and the only sound was the jumble about of make-up containers and the clearing of throats and giggles._

"_So, we've already got our hotel room booked." Amber whispered in a conspiratorial tone._

_A pause ensued, in which the only sound was more shuffling and the atmosphere was hard to read. Finally, Ashley dared to brave her thoughts, "Are you actually going to, you know, _do it_?"_

_Amber giggled lightly, "Of course, it's prom night, and it's what everybody does. We're staying in a hotel just around the corner. I can give you the details. All you need to tell your parents is that you're staying at mine, and vice versa, and we're sorted for the night."_

_Ashley sounded hesitant in her reply, "Oh, I don't know Amber. I don't think I'm ready."_

"_Not ready? What's there to be ready about? Do you want to go into college a _virgin_? Or do you want to be cool and actually fit in with people. I didn't think that the better people of this school would even be questioning this. It's all the guys on the football team have been talking about!"_

"_I'm sure not _all _the boys…" Ashley began, but was soon cut off._

"_If you're not in, then you're seriously out of the loop. I even heard losers like Oliver Oken have got something planned."_

"_Yeah, but hasn't he been with Joanie for a few months now?" Ashley pointed out, yet the slight plea in her voice could not be disguised._

"_Well, who cares about timing? It's prom night. It's tradition that the popular kids in school do it. And we are the most popular Ashley, we're at the top. You don't want to lose everything we've worked for, do you?"_

"_No, no, of course I don't. You're right Amber. I don't know what I was thinking. Just give me the details after school today and I'll talk to Nick."_

"_I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige." Amber chuckled and Ashley joined in nervously._

"_Yeah, you're right."_

_The bathroom door closed and Amber and Ashley's footsteps began to echo in the corridor outside, becoming fainter. Lilly Truscott stepped out of the toilet cubicle and took her place in front of the mirror, where Amber had just been standing. Her reflection stared morosely back at her, her sky-blue eyes darkened with a sense of hopelessness. If Oliver, her best friend who had been with his girlfriend for five months was going to _do it_, and countless others would give in on prom night, then what would happen to Miley? Would she become one of them, with some boy who she hardly knew? _

_The unhappy blonde didn't even hear the bathroom door open again. _

"_Oh there you are Lilly. I've been looking everywhere for you." Miley Stewart called from the doorway. _

_Lilly turned and found herself looking into brilliant cerulean eyes. _

**There's no one else that matters…**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So here's chapter 5, sorry i've been MIA for the past... well, ages... my life is now taken up with employment and other such boring things. But here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy.**

**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 5**

A girl was standing in the middle of the hallway, the centre of the stage, the key of the court, but she was not alone. A boy was stood in front of her, he had blonde hair and a cocky smile and he was the very one that all the other girls had wanted. All except for one, and she was the same girl who was watching the interaction between the couple with vulnerable eyes.

The whole scene was playing out slowly, Miley's head turned from side to side as she swept some curly locks back off her shoulders with her free hand, the one that wasn't hugging her English folder to her. Miley's lips spread into one of her famous smiles, which soon became a laugh. Jake Ryan was laughing with her, with one hand reaching out to rest on her lower arm as they shared a joke together. Lilly chewed her lip and leaned against her locker, apparently she was appearing casual to every other student in that corridor, yet really she was bracing herself as her legs trembled.

"…Alright then, I'll catch ya later Jake." Miley said, and her voice sounded distant to the blonde while she stepped away from the actor who had sought her attention. She coolly strutted down the corridor in the direction of her best friend, as if nothing had happened and the eyes of passing girls weren't striking her being with green jealousy.

Miley was smirking slightly as she scrolled her combination into the adjacent locker to Lilly's. She opened the metal door and carefully slid her folder in to rest among her other neatly organised belongings. She was apparently too absorbed in the contents of her locker to pay attention to her best friend, who was standing patiently beside her; both girls waiting to see who would break first.

Finally Miley sighed and turned to face the blonde, "Well, don't you want to know what that was about?"

Lilly giggled, she couldn't help it, "I knew you couldn't wait to tell me. You never can." Lilly teased, and her eyes twinkled.

Miley grumbled, "Damn you and your competitive nature Truscott. Well, maybe I won't tell you after all and that will give you something to laugh about."

The gleeful expression froze and faded from Lilly's features, "You wouldn't." She uttered dramatically.

"Yup." Miley stated, before closing her locker and assuming a hand-on-hip position as she pouted at Lilly. "My conversation with Jake is off limits to you."

"Off limits?" Lilly repeated incredulously.

"Until I choose the time when I so wish to divulge to you." Miley confirmed, threw her head back and set off down the corridor.

"Miles!" Lilly squeaked after her, but her pleading tone was lost on the retreating brunette's back. She scowled as a feeling of discomfort spread through her, "Why did I have to do that?" Lilly grumbled to herself, "Now I have to wait at least two more hours to find out what that doofus wanted." She rolled her eyes and set her jaw; Lilly Truscott was _not _going to give in first.

It was after the last school bell had rung and the girls had found each other in the corridors again that they set off back to Miley's house to settle on the couch and watch the latest report on Hannah Montana. "_When Hannah met Jake…Again!_ Is this the title of a renewed love affair that's blooming between Hollywood's teenage elite?" A news reporter suddenly stated and peered through square glasses at what he obviously presumed was an avid television audience, "New photos have emerged of the young couple sharing whispered conversations at last month's 'Silver Booty Awards', in which Miss Montana earned a prize for the third time. Jake was rumoured to have attended the presentation to have supported his secret girlfriend…"

Miley scoffed and flicked over the channel. She was at her ease on the couch, leaning backward on the settee with all the demeanour of a weary monarch, "What will they ever come up with next? I mean, Jake can't even say 'well done' without the media jumping up and having a party about it." Miley shrugged, and switched the television off completely, "They'll all get over it in a couple of days." Lilly's hands twitched restlessly in her lap, she was desperate to hear about Miley's conversation with Jake. It felt as if the whole of that coming Friday night depended on Miley's apparently intimate discussion with the actor that had taken place in a few stolen moments that afternoon. "I'm bored, let's go upstairs and paint our nails." Miley suddenly announced and heaved herself out of her groove in the cushion. Lilly looked away when her best friend stretched her arms above her head, her body bowed slightly backward, causing her hips to ease forward and a slip of peachy stomach was revealed. One second later and Miley's hand was clasped around Lilly's wrist, tugging her out of her comfortable position on the couch and onto her feet.

"Why do you want to paint your nails?"

"Because I need to work out what colour will go best with my dress for the prom." Miley announced and looked at Lilly as if it was only the most obvious explanation.

"Oh." Lilly was slowly catching up and thoughts tumbled over themselves whilst they vied to be spoken first, "So… does this mean you've already got your dress?"

"Uh-huh." Miley responded casually as she marched her best friend up the stairs.

"Oh." Lilly said again and allowed herself to be ushered into Miley's room and plonked down on her best friend's bed. "But, I haven't got mine yet."

"I know." Miley said breezily whilst she strode over to open the doors onto her balcony. The brunette was humming to herself as she crossed the room once more and opened the doors to her closet, "That's why I went out and got you this."

Lilly's brow furrowed in confusion and Miley partially disappeared as she reached into the depths of clothes. Suddenly she emerged again holding a bag, with a mischievous smile dancing across her features. "What have you got?" Lilly asked, her voice was low and bewilderment clearly set in her features.

"Just a little something that I saw the other week and instantly made me think of you." Miley replied and stepped closer to hand the bag over to her best friend. Lilly noticed that Miley looked slightly anxious now, her eyes darting intensely over Lilly's expression, focused entirely on her reaction.

Lilly felt blood pool into her cheeks and Miley's own nervousness was quickly catching. She slid her hands into the bag, her fingertips brushing soft material. Lilly's eyes widened and she glanced at Miley once more, who was smiling again. The blonde returned her attention to the contents of the mysterious bag once more, twisting her fingers into the fabric and drawing it up and out of the bag in one fluid motion.

Lilly's lips parted as her gaze fell on a beautiful blue dress. "Miley…" The blonde whispered as her eyes took in the gift that her best friend had imparted on her.

"It's all yours." Miley said softly. Lilly looked up and saw that her best friend was grinning. Her eyes were sparkling with a warm glow that caused Lilly's cheeks to burn scarlet, and the blonde found that she couldn't speak. Miley blinked and something shifted in her expression as she cleared her throat, "Well, go and try it on then." Miley started pushing Lilly into her ensuite bathroom, "I need to know that it fits for the dance."

Lilly heard the door click shut behind her before she realised that her chest was on fire; she had forgotten to breathe. Her hands shook as she stripped off her clothes and raised the dress to pull it down over her head. The material fell to her knees and was loose below her waist so that when she spun it twirled out around her. Otherwise it closely accentuated her curves and the colour brought out the blue in her own eyes. The cloth itself was fascinating; further patterns were subtly printed on the deep blue backdrop, which became more noticeable in different types of light and shadow; small polka-dots and intricate flowers, random quirky fashion meeting classic decoration. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and tilted her head as she examined how the item of clothing almost made her look sophisticated.

"Are you all done in there?" Miley's voice demanded impatiently from the other room.

"Err, yeah…" Lilly replied, still lost in her reflection and in her friend's kindness.

"Well come on out then, I want to see how it looks." Miley barked.

Lilly smiled and opened the door before stepping out onto the bare floorboards of Miley's room. She looked up at Miley and said, "It fits."

Miley's eyes were tracing the dress closely, she was clearly eager to see whether her acquisition was truly suitable. Lilly didn't know what to do, since the visual path Miley was wending over Lilly's body was almost ferocious. Finally Miley looked up, her azure irises seizing Lilly's up in an instant, "You're damn right it fits." She looked extremely pleased with herself.

Lilly grinned, "It's amazing, but I'm sure it would look even better if I'd managed to get the zip done up all the way." She turned around and indicated the spot on her back where she had not succeeded in sealing herself completely into the dress.

Miley stepped forwards at once and her nimble fingers flew to the task. Lilly forced her body to be still as warm hands burned through the material and Miley's soft fingertips brushed Lilly's skin lightly while she resolved the issue. "There we go."

Lilly turned to face Miley once more and found that she had not stepped away but was standing and smiling at her. "Thank you so much." Lilly breathed and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

Miley chuckled, and the sensation of her husky laugh vibrated deeply, rumbling into Lilly's own chest, "Not a problem Lillypad."

"I can't believe you went out and bought this for me." Lilly sighed, "Since when did I deserve a friend as good as you?"

"Come on now Lilly." Miley replied gently, "I knew you wouldn't get your dress until probably the day before prom. And it was obviously going to be the same dress that a billion other girls had because it was the only decent one left that you would actually like in all the regular stores. Therefore I made it my mission during my weekend away at the Silver Booty Awards to buy you a dress that I _knew_ you would like, that no other girl could possibly have."

Lilly shook her head before burrowing it deeper into Miley's hair. She was certain now that this dress was individual and selected by Miley to suit her completely, and it must also have cost a lot. "Thank you." Lilly said once more, for it was all she could say.

"You're welcome." Miley answered and gently drew away, granting Lilly another smile before turning to settle herself on her bed and watch her friend. Lilly ran her hands over the skirts of her dress, choosing to look again over the patterning.

Miley cleared her throat, "I said no."

Lilly glanced up after a moment, "Hmm?"

"I said no to Jake, earlier in the hallway, when he asked me to the dance." Miley stated simply.

Lilly wobbled but quickly caught herself as all of her attention swept around in an instant and turned to land on the brunette sat before her. "…You said no to going to the prom with Jake?" Lilly asked slowly and Miley nodded, "But, w-why?"

Miley spread her hands out before her, "Because I didn't want to go with him." When Lilly still looked perplexed Miley continued, "We're history Lilly, _ancient_ history. Just like you and Matt." Miley's eyes glittered, "So I'm not going with Jake."

"Oh."

"Oh indeed."

"Then… Then, who are you going with?" Lilly found her voice was shaking, and she hoped that Miley wouldn't notice.

Miley shrugged, "You know TJ from biology class?"

Lilly frowned, "Yes."

"He asked me." Miley said clearly, and the corners of Lilly's mouth twitched. "Don't you think his eyes are too close together though?" Miley asked.

"What?"

"He's not right." Miley stood up and went to the doors by her balcony. "And you know Justin Berk?" Lilly shook her head, "Oh, he's the guy that stared at me in maths all of February." Miley chuckled before continuing, "But in one of our statistic experiments I found out that his left leg is half an inch longer than the other. Now, what kind of dance partner would he be?" Lilly still didn't reply, unwilling to threaten that small glimmer of hope that was fluttering before her. "And then there was Cooper."

"As in athletic Cooper with the convertible? The guy whose cousin is in the Knicks?" Lilly gasped.

Miley laughed openly this time, "Yeah, him."

"Well, what happened with him?" Lilly asked.

Miley frowned, "He seemed to be practically perfect. Tall, good-looking, hot body and actually a decent guy. But…"

"But?!" Lilly watched as Miley stepped out onto her balcony and hastened to follow her. "But what, Miley?" Lilly asked as she came to stand next to Miley, looking out over the ocean and taking in the rays of the sun.

"But... He's not you." Miley faced the blonde with a smile and golden light settled in her eyes, "He's not you Lilly. Sure he's a great guy; all the guys that asked me were in their own way. But none of them can compare. When I think of all the times we've spent together in that school, and out of it. All the times that you've been there for me, whether it was shaving off Joanie's hair, or just letting me cry on your shoulder when things got hard. These are the things that matter the most. Why should I go to the dance with someone who I could never love as much as I love you?"

Miley's sincerity struck a chord within Lilly that the blonde was certain would never stop resonating, "I love you too Miles, so much." She replied and the girls shared another embrace, on the balcony looking out over the water. "So, can I see your dress?" Lilly asked, suddenly realising that she hadn't had the chance to find out what her date was wearing. _My date, _Lilly thought, _I could get used to that_. A secret smile flickered over her features, and then it was gone.

Miley was looking coy, "Nope."

Lilly laughed, "What do you mean, 'nope'."

"I mean, you can't see my dress. You can't see my dress until Friday night."

"But Miley," Lilly whined, "that's two whole days away!"

"I know." Miley answered and flounced back into her room. "I want to keep my date guessing. It'll only build on your excitement, which you'll thank me for in the long run."

"Why do I get the feeling that you've got this whole thing planned out?"

"Because I have." Miley replied casually as she plopped onto her bed once more and picked up her nail file.

"Control freak." Lilly teased.

Miley grinned, "Yeah, but you love it."

Lilly stuck her tongue out before casting her eyes over the bottles of nail varnish which were stood on Miley's dresser. "So, Miles," Lilly began casually, "what colour are you going to paint your nails then?"

Miley looked up and grinned evilly, "Oh Lilly, don't think you're going to find out that way. I've changed my mind. We're not painting our nails after all. But, I will let you decide what colour would be best on your own, I think you're capable of making that decision."

"I'm going to paint them orange." Lilly assured defiantly.

"No you're not." Miley replied calmly.

"You're right," Lilly groaned, "Damnit Miley, you know me too well!"

Miley looked up and watched Lilly for a moment before gently replying, "More than you realise."

"Yeah, well, whatever. Anyway, I better go and get changed before I make my dress dirty." Lilly brushed her hands over the material once more, smoothing the fabric into place. "Thanks again Miles," Lilly called over her shoulder as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

Miley smiled and returned her attention to her nails, "Phase two complete."

_**Breaking the rules, me and you, you and I…**_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Well, it's been a while I know. All I've been doing recently is reading rather than writing, but I'm hoping to at least finish one story, although it's difficult atm. Life keeps getting in the way. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Saving The Last Dance For Her – Chapter 6**

"_Rain._

_Drops of water trickle down the window pane._

_My gaze turns to the glass,_

_And all I see is rain._

_Cold breath mars the scenery, the very same_

_View I turn to every day,_

_But all I see is rain._

_I cannot look away, though I don't stand to gain._

_But how can one go out_

_When all I see is rain?_

_Outside, the sun shines brightly - it feels no shame._

_And then, I close my eyes,_

_There; in my heart is rain."_

_Lilly blinked and stopped speaking. Mr Corelli was the first to begin the quiet smattering of applause. "Well done Lilly, an interesting, if not slightly morose, poem on different types of weather and how they affect one's mood." Lilly inclined her head in response to his reaction whereupon he gestured for her to take a seat and called the next student forward._

_Miley Stewart turned around in her chair as if to say something to her best friend, but decided against it, bit down upon her bottom lip and turned to feign interest in the next speaker. It wasn't until class was dismissed and the three best friends were seated around the lunch table that Miley began her interrogation, "So, Lilly, whatever inspired you to write such a sad poem?" Miley asked, leaning forward across the table to stare at her friend with an intent expression. Lilly merely offered Miley a small smile before taking a nibble from her hamburger. Miley was not affronted and proceeded to press on with her questions, "I mean, it was a good poem, don't get me wrong. But… has someone upset you or something? You're normally much happier in your creative writing assignments. I thought you would write about the sun and the beach…"_

_Lilly's smile grew, "Oh Miley, I get where you're coming from. You think I'm simple. Well, it seems you were wrong, I have more depth than you first knew."_

_Miley raised her eyebrows in protest, "Lilly, I have never thought of you as a simpleton. Believe you me; I just didn't know that you were sad about something."_

_Lilly chewed her burger thoughtfully, "But, I'm not sad Miley."_

_Miley looked confused, "Has someone said something to upset you?"_

_Lilly actually laughed, "Look Stewart, you don't need to play the part of the concerned friend and you most certainly don't need to try and psycho-analyse me. Gosh, can't a girl make up a little poem for an English assignment without getting therapy for it afterward?"_

_Miley frowned, "I dunno Lilly, it's just uncharacteristic. That's all I'm saying." _

_Lilly merely shrugged her shoulders and finished stuffing the remainders of her lunch into her apparently bottomless stomach. "Look, I've gotta go, soccer meet." Miley nodded as she watched Lilly hop to her feet, grin brightly at her friends, before darting away._

_Miley sighed, but Oliver Oken was too busy with his French fries to notice. Miley sighed again, more dramatically with her head in her hands, and this time the doe-eyed boy looked up, "Alright Miles. Spit it out."_

"_Spit what out Ollie?"_

"_You know what. Something's up." Oliver announced and threw his scrunched up napkin down onto his plate, which he then pushed away as he turned to give Miley his full attention. "Come on now, tell Uncle Ollie."_

"_Oliver, I'm worried about Lilly." Miley stated seriously, "I mean, it's not like her to be so… 'morose' as Mr Correlli called her. Who writes about the rain? We don't even see much rain in Malibu!"_

_Oliver looked puzzled, "I think she was trying to be ironic. Ya know, like the rain was her inner mood which is the opposite of what it is outside. That she's actually very lonely and depressed but is putting on a front for everyone to see…"_

"_Exactly!" Miley threw her hands up, "You _do _get English class."_

"_Well, I don't have straight 'B's' for nothing." Oliver stated proudly and puffed out his chest impressively._

"_Yeah, yeah." Miley waved her hands around, "Whatever. But _now_ do you see where I'm coming from?"_

_Oliver pouted, "Err…No."_

"_Ollie!" Miley whined, "Lilly is obviously having trouble with something and she's expressing it in a form of poetic angst."_

_Oliver started to shake his head, "Oh no. No, no, no."_

"_No what?" Miley interrogated._

"_Enough of the 'girl talk'. I know what you' re like. You take every little thing and blow it way out of proportion. Miley, Lilly is _fine_, okay?"_

"_I'm her best friend Oliver." Miley said, her voice etching ever higher, "And I know everything is not _fine_." Oliver looked perplexed, "So will you please tell me what's wrong with her?"_

"_There's nothing to tell." Oliver spread his hands out in front of him, yet when Miley failed to be comforted, he rose to his feet, "Look Miles, class is about to start again and I've got to return a book to the library. I'll catch ya later. And _don't _worry."_

_Miley watched the boy's retreating back in silence. _Since when does Oliver go to the library?_ She pondered, before taking one final gulp of her drink, _I'm gonna get to the bottom of this.

_Miley didn't have to travel very far, however, for she soon caught sight of the troubled blonde and their doughnut talking in hushed whispers in the corridor. Miley checked the time on her cellphone, they still had ten minutes left of lunch and neither of her friends were where they said they would be. Taking her position behind a group of chattering girls who were shuffling in an animated formation down the hallway, Miley Stewart crept unnoticed toward her best friends and disappeared behind a jutting section of wall._

"_Are you sure you're okay Lilster? I mean, the poem was pretty intense." Oliver queried as he leaned up against her locker, whilst the blonde desperately tried to create some form of organizational pattern within the jumbled mess that threatened to splurge out onto the floor at any given moment._

"_Yes Oliver, I'm fine. I'm doing just great and you don't have to keep asking me how I am every second of the day." Lilly replied, and her voice had a slight edge to it that her friends rarely heard._

_Oliver put his hands up submissively in front of him, "Look Lilly, I'm just trying to watch out for you okay. I don't like seeing you working yourself up."_

"_I'm _not _getting worked up about _anything_ Oliver." Lilly hissed, "And I don't want to talk about it. Especially not at school." _

_Oliver shrugged and lowered his hands to his pockets, "Okay then Lilly. I'll catch you later though, drinks at Rico's yeah? We can really talk about things then."_

"_Sure." Lilly sighed and offered him a small smile, "I think Miley's got a rehearsal for a performance after school anyway so we'll have plenty of time." Oliver nodded and moved on down the corridor, nudging shoulders with Lilly first who rolled her eyes and resumed her attempt at tidying._

_Miley's body was prickling and her throat was dry. She was filled with a strong sense of discomfort, yet she didn't quite know the exact source for it. She was anxious that her friends were keeping things from her, and even more so about what those matters actually were. Hundreds of different scenarios, growing steadily more far-fetched, were taking nest in her mind, falling over one another and vying for position at the forefront of her thoughts. The most common of these thoughts was that Lilly and Oliver were secretly dating. Miley squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head whilst taking deep breaths, surely a relationship such as one between close friends was to be celebrated, and not lived out uneasily. Miley blinked and looked over to Lilly. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with a haunting sadness, and Miley longed to trace the origin. She stepped out of her hiding place, cleared her throat and approached her best friend._

_From hearing Miley approach, Lilly's reaction was one of shock on seeing the brunette appear, as if from nowhere. She momentarily forgot what she was doing, her hand slipped in her grasp of the three textbooks she was attempting to stuff into the narrow locker space and, with a clatter that turned some heads, most of her belongings fell to the floor. "Ah, crap." Lilly muttered while she bent down to sort out her mess._

"_Sorry Lilly," Miley hastened to help and apologize, "that was totally my fault."_

"_S'okay." Lilly said as she stacked up books into her arms, "I just didn't notice you there. You kinda snuck up on me." Lilly giggled nervously and failed to meet Miley's eyes._

_Miley scrabbled around on the floor after the pens that were trying to roll away and under the lockers, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you nervous." Miley's spoke quietly, yet there was an undertone in her voice which at once confirmed Lilly's suspicions that Miley had overheard her prior conversation._

_Lilly's light eyes flashed up at once and she was faced with an unexpectedly compassionate pair of azure eyes. "Lilly…" Miley began, and reached for the very same text that her best friend had been aiming before._

_Lilly's hand closed down on top of Miley's, and hot pink awkwardness flooded the blonde's soft cheeks. Lilly looked toward the arrangement of fingers on top of fingers and swallowed dryly, before sliding her hand cautiously away and gaining possession of her book. Both girls rose to their feet and Lilly, looking flustered, met Miley's eyes again, "You heard our conversation, didn't you?"_

_Miley blinked, "Yes."_

"_Look Miley…"_

"_Lilly," Miley interrupted, "it's okay. And I'm fine with you meeting Oliver after school on your own. But you don't have to keep it from me. I don't mind, I know that you and Ollie are _close_…" Miley's voice unwillingly strained the last word and she chewed her lip._

_Lilly quirked an eyebrow and her eyes grew brighter with interest, "What do you mean… _close_?" Miley made an uncommitted noise before handing over the last of Lilly's stationary and proceeding to aid the blonde with her locker arrangements. "Miley," Lilly began slowly, "you don't think that Oliver and I are…?" She didn't need to finish the sentence because the brunette squirmed, verifying Lilly's suspicions, "EW!" Lilly squeaked, "Miley, that is _wrong_ on so many levels. I mean, first of all, he's _Oliver._" Lilly stated dramatically, "And secondly… he's OLIVER!"_

_Miley laughed, "You're right. How could I ever think that." She instantly felt a shock of relief and blood returned hot and fast to her drained cheeks. She watched Lilly smile and found herself smiling with the girl, for how could she ever be truly happy if her best friend was not? Yet Miley's warmth began to dissipate when the flicker of that emotion which she had caught in the blonde earlier flared up in her bright eyes. Lilly looked as if she were hungry, she had that same manic desire that appeared when she had been starving for half the day, between meals. But this time it was nothing to do with food, Miley was certain, and it was underlined with degrees of sadness that Miley could not understand. "Is everything okay at home?" Miley suddenly broached, afraid that she had missed a sign along the way._

_Lilly turned to look at Miley, bewilderment etched in her expression, "What?" She asked softly, "Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." She replied distractedly, "Stop worrying Miles."_

"_I do worry about you though." Miley sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "Won't you tell me what's up?"_

_Lilly shook her head, "Nothing is up. Maybe I'm just having a down day. Maybe my blood-sugar levels are low…"_

"_Lilly, you just had lunch." Miley answered matter-of-factly._

_Lilly gave Miley one of her famous grins, "And?!" _

_Miley laughed again, and decided to give up. "Alright then, Little Miss Mysterious."_

_Lilly winked at her, "I like to keep you guessing Miley Stewart."_

_Miley's mouth twitched, "You sure do. But anyway, I think I have a remedy for you." She reached into her bag and pulled out a chocolate bar. Lilly's eyes twinkled and Miley waved the treat tantalizingly before the blonde's face, "Now, dance monkey. Dance for you food."_

_Lilly giggled and snatched the chocolate straight from Miley's hand, "Miley, I'm not that simple."_

_x-x-x_

_Miley could not stand still. She stepped from foot to foot on the sand as if it were hot coals whilst chewing fretfully on her lip and looking edgily around her. Her head was itching in the new wig and the sunglasses which she had chosen were pinching the skin on her nose. Yet these were probably the only sunglasses that Lilly had never seen and being a carrot-top was practically like wearing a cape of invisibility as she finally came to sit at Rico's bar._

"_Will you stop being so jumpy? You're going to give yourself away." Jackson hissed at his sister as he handed her a soda._

"_Quiet Jackson." Miley barked at her brother._

"_You're not supposed to know me, remember?" Jackson teased and pretended that he couldn't hear her._

_Miley scowled at him, though the effect was quite lost due to the ridiculous shades blocking half of her face. "Lilly's going to __recognise__ me."_

"_Nuh-uh." Jackson disagreed and shook his head, "Not in that ginger wig or in those weird clothes." He pulled a face, "This is the last thing she would expect anyway, you're meant to be rehearsing tonight." Jackson paused halfway through pouring a coke for another customer, "Do you really think this is a good idea Miley? I mean, snooping on your best friends doesn't seem to make any sense to me. What exactly are you trying to get out of this anyway?"_

_Miley shrugged, "I don't even know Jackson. I just know that something's up…" Miley's body suddenly became rigid as she spotted the familiar blonde girl and brunette male walking towards her. "Now hush your gums and make like you don't know me." Miley whispered, hastening to trot back to the magazine she had spread over the top of a nearby table and feigned reading._

"_Hey Jackson, two cokes and some nachos to share." Oliver asked whilst slamming some dollars down. Lilly wandered over to the seats which they normally occupied around a small table, just a few feet away from Miley, "Here we go," Oliver said as he placed his purchases down, "this one's on me." He said with a friendly grin and Lilly smiled, pocketing the money she had been counting up to give to Oliver. "Now," began Oliver after taking a sip of his drink, "to business." Lilly's face paled and she started drinking her coke very quickly, "Miley." Oliver stated firmly._

"_I knew it!" Miley hissed victoriously under her breath and tried to lean in even closer, without being noticed._

"_Miley." Lilly repeated, and her voice was lilted with sadness. She suddenly buried her face in her hands and openly groaned, "What am I going to do Oliver?"_

_Oliver looked at her closely, "Well, what do you want to do?"_

_Lilly looked up, and she was notably shocked, Miley could see as she desperately peered over the top of her magazine whilst trying to appear nonchalant. "Nothing." Lilly responded, quite animatedly, "I don't want to do anything Oliver. I just want it to stop."_

_Oliver nodded understandingly, "Well, I can understand that." He took another sip of his coke, his brow furrowing as he pondered over the next direction for the conversation to take, "But, and I'm going to talk hypothetically here…" Lilly looked worried, "What do you want to happen?"_

_Lilly raised her eyebrows and lowered her voice, "Oliver, surely it would be simple, even to you, to know what I would want to happen in this situation." Oliver shrugged his shoulders and Lilly looked awkward, "Well, you know, a… a response. A sudden announcement that it's the same for her." Lilly flustered._

_Miley's stomach churned, _What in the name of Sam Heck is Lilly talking about? _Miley wondered, yet something was brewing and Miley squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block out the notion that her analytical mind was pushing forward, because it was a crazy idea and Lilly wasn't like that. _

_Meanwhile Oliver had nodded in agreement, "Totally, that would be the ideal solution." Miley blinked; certain that she had missed something here, during her scrabbled musings, "Do you think you would tell her?"_

_Lilly's eyes widened, "When and how Oliver?" She replied, the tone in her voice depressed and hardened, as if she had already made up her mind about it. Oliver shrugged helplessly and tried to say something further, but Lilly cut across him, "If I say anything, she's going to think I'm crazy and then drop me as a friend. What will I do without her? Nothing. Having Miley in my life makes everything _better_ Oliver. My parents' divorce, the fact that I haven't spoken to my dad in over a month… Just seeing her everyday; laughing with her and having her as my best friend. It's more than enough."_

_Miley's insides were bubbling, and she was certain that this was nothing to do with the copious amounts of soda she had just bolted down. Oliver spread his hands out imploringly in front of himself, "I just wish…"_

"_Just wish what, Oliver?" Lilly interrupted, quietly with pleading eyes, "That I will get over how I feel about Miley and move on? That when I see her everyday I don't feel like I've just been electrocuted. That I don't dread and desire her hugs equally. God Oliver, I'm both terrified and ecstatic to be around her. I'm scared that if she hugs me I might break down in tears or… start kissing her. You know what?" Lilly looked at Oliver almost ferociously now, "I just want to be loved by her. Loved in _that way,_ loved until I feel that I can't breathe because it's almost suffocating me, but it wouldn't be. Because it would be bliss. Because that is how I love her Ollie. I love her without end, and with everything I think I am." _

_Miley's ears blocked out further sound as blood pounded her head, starting with the flushing of her cheeks and thrumming in her ears. Her whole body was hot and a lump was present in her throat that she tried to swallow. Her chest was in twisted knots, and she couldn't find the right state of being to undo them. She watched as Lilly and Oliver continued talking in front of her, but really couldn't make out what they were saying. Miley gathered up her magazine and her bag, slowly now, and tried to draw as little attention to herself as possible. She felt conspicuous, naked, and to be spotted by the other two now would be a disaster. She couldn't risk Lilly finding out that she had just discovered… discovered what? _Lilly loves me._ Miley shook her head and stumbled away, she thought she heard Jackson call out to her but ignored him also, intent on getting away, on going somewhere…_

_x-x-x_

_Miley was in her room, bunching her fingers into her hair and wrenching off the disgusting wig. She unbuttoned the unflattering blouse and finally disposed of the painful sunglasses. She stripped down until she was in her pants and a light top before flopping on her bed and allowing her world to spin around her. _Lilly loves me, more than a friend. How could I have been so blind not to have noticed? _Miley frowned as she analysed every little moment the pair had together. She could not decipher anything unusual in their behaviour toward one another that they had been doing differently since the time that they had first declared themselves as 'BFF's'. _

_Yet the thought of Lilly feeling about her this way did not disturb Miley, as it would do if it had been Oliver, it merely intrigued her. She had never been one to give much thought to that kind of thing, she had never been so inclined, and this was Lilly. Her Lillypad and her bestest friend, even though she would never admit that to Oliver._

_Tears unexpectedly burst from Miley's azure eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She hated how Lilly had been made so miserable, but had never been able to tell Miley because her misery revolved so painfully around the unknowing girl. But Miley could not stop crying and she wept because she could not give Lilly what she wanted. She could not love her best friend back. _

_All that she knew was to continue, to be normal and to make life easier for Lilly. She pulled herself out of her low spirits with the conviction that it was probably just a phase; at least that was what Miley hoped._

**All you gotta do is watch me…**


End file.
